eldomtom2

I believe somewhere around 50mm (the website quotes a width of approx. 55mm, which presumely includes the sleepers), so much wider than a scale standard gauge.

Precisely how "scale" they are may be questioned, but Sarissa Precision's range of trains and track for 28mm scale wargaming is certainly unconventional.

Were the MRS-1s capable of clearing British loading gauges? Might be worth a look for inspiration if so.

Well yes, but adult Lego fans probably aren't going to buy this, because it looks like (and almost certainly is) cheap and nasty tat.

Trademarks do not work that way, as their original purpose was to avoid confusion between the products of different companies. The figures that Hornby is marketing are clearly close enough to Lego minifigures that an argument that a customer could be confused could be made. Lego has won in court against manufacturers of figures more different from Lego minifigures that Hornby's ones are.

That would require them to put money into this beyond that required for new boxes.

The brick is not protected. The famous minifigure design, however, is (under trademark law), and these figures are clearly infringing on it. Presumably the original Chinese company was selling to a domestic audience and thus could avoid attention, but Hornby could very well be looking at a lawsuit.

I think it is established fact that the hobby magazines are very cosy with the manufacturers - that one of the biggest is owned by a manufacturer rather says it all!

The era system is baby boomer-biased trash, completely unfit for purpose. Just print a date range on the box.

This falls under the heading of "freedom of panorama" and varies wildly by country.

Surely this is alive and healthy in the 3d printing scene?

A further point - who owns the rights to the BR trademarks?

Personal taste - there's enough young fans of the books and the original TV series to show that isn't an inherent reaction.

It would be nice at least to see the WD and ALR locos with new identities...

My actual intent was along the lines of RJS1977's post - what standard gauge models to produce if you're starting from a blank slate - but the thread seems to have taken a life of its own.